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While the chilly temperature and common sense may suggest otherwise, February 3 traditionally marks the start of spring in Japan. Known as Setsubun (literally âseasonal divisionâ), the day is marked with a spiritual kind of spring cleaning. Its most famous ritual is mamemaki, in which people drive evil spirits from their homes by throwing soybeans out the door (or at a family member dressed as a demon) and shouting Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi! (Demons out! Good luck in!).
The ritual is repeated on a larger scale at many temples and shrines around town, usually with a sizeable celebrity contingent on hand to scatter that soy. Itâs then customary to eat a fat roll of makizushi while facing in the yearâs lucky direction â hence the dishâs name, eho-maki (âlucky direction rollâ). These rolls are sold at pretty much every supermarket and convenience store out there. Interested? Hereâs where you can throw some beans.
RECOMMENDED: The best Tokyo ramen of 2025
Want to make your weekend an exciting one? We've rounded up the best events, festivals, parties, art exhibitions and must-see spots in Tokyo for Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Looking to get out of the city for a bit? Take a day trip to one of these nearby destinations, or head to an outlet mall just outside Tokyo for some great shopping deals. If that wasn't enough, you can also stop by one of Tokyo's regular markets, like the weekly UNU Farmer's Market near Shibuya.Â
Now that it's winter, Tokyo and cities across Japan are glowing with illuminations. You can also check out one of Tokyo's many skating rinks or skip the city for these snowy destinations.Â
Read on to find more great things to do in Tokyo this weekend.
Note: Do check the event and venue websites for the latest updates.
One of the worldâs largest megacities, Tokyo is a place where bustling, ultra-modern districts like Shibuya, Shinjuku and Ginza coexist with traditional neighbourhoods like Asakusa, Kanda and Nezu, where the atmosphere of old Edo still lingers. Despite being home to some 14 million people, the city is rich in greenery, with expansive spaces such as Meiji Shrine, Yoyogi Park and Shinjuku Gyoen woven into the urban fabric.
From skylines lined with high-rises and promenades along the Sumida River, to centuries-old shrines and temples and a food scene thatâs second to none, Tokyo is packed with more attractions than anyone could hope to keep track of.
Enter this list: our curated selection of 88 must-visit spots, from essential landmarks to locally loved shops and lesser-known gems. Use it as a guide to explore Tokyo and discover the distinct charms and character of each neighbourhood.
RECOMMENDED: 24 hours in Tokyo: your ultimate round-the-clock guide to the capital
January in Tokyo can be cold and dreary, especially once the New Year holidays are over. However, while most of the city illuminations are still up, the first month of the year is also the time for classic winter festivals and ice skating under the starry sky â not to mention the Coming of Age celebrations or those rare but hilarious snowy days when this oh-so-orderly city is thrown into disarray. So calm down, take a break from those New Year's resolutions and check out our picks of the best events Tokyo has to offer.
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The new year is here! If, like us, you're feeling very done with 2025, then kickstart 2026 with some of the best events happening in Tokyo. If you feel like doing something energetic, head to one of Tokyo's many ice-skating rinks, and then take in the twinkly festive illuminations around town. Whatever you do, don't let the Tokyo winter beat you.
Another ramen year is in the books, and what a trip around the sun it was. Plenty of big-name shops had a successful year, as did super-specialised joints pioneering new trends. Above all, there were so many exciting new openings that just keeping track of them all felt daunting â not to mention finding the time to actually try their enticing offerings.
As we scoured the streets of the capital doing just that, telling ourselves that the constant movement ought to cancel out the damage from all the cholesterol bombs we were ingesting, we noticed a few clear trends. Spices are on the upswing, as are all manner of fancy toppings. On the other hand, classics like the Yokohama ie-kei style and seafood-based tsukemen soups are going perhaps stronger than ever before, as are elevated takes on orthodox chuka soba.
But enough with the big picture â we know youâre really only here for the recs, so here they are: 20 shops that made a difference in Tokyoâs ramen scene in 2025.
Reviews by Menchuck
RECOMMENDED: The best of Tokyo in 2025
Come New Year's Eve, Tokyo is usually filled with incredible parties and countdown celebrations. While the countdown event at Shibuya Crossing has been cancelled yet again this year, there are still lots to do in the city to send off 2025 in style. Many of Tokyo's shrines are open for the first prayer of the new year and you can still partake in the spiritual bell-ringing ritual at some temples.Â
But for all you party animals, here's our roundup of NYE celebrations happening in Tokyo. Take your pick from our list below and get ready to say goodbye to 2025 and welcome a better 2026.
BEFORE YOU GO: Check out the train and transport situation across Tokyo on New Year's Eve 2025-26
Tickets are now available via out affiliate partner Klook.
Watch out for âflyingâ penguins! Located on top of the Sunshine City complex, this partially open-air oasis opened its remodelled penguin area last year. Take a stroll under a giant water tank and spot penguins overhead with Tokyoâs cityscape as the backdrop â a breathtaking view you wonât find anywhere else. Another new feature is the skywalk, housing pelicans which are especially fun to check out during feeding time.
Other popular spots include the deep blue Jellyfish Tunnel and the Sunshine Lagoon, a huge tank with a wide variety of fish. When it comes to snack time, youâll love the light blue-coloured sea salt soft serve ice cream, made from Okinawaâs âsnow saltâ.
Cookie Time was founded in Christchurch, New Zealand way back in 1983 by two brothers who are passionate about the all-popular treat. Since then, the cookie specialist has been selling cookies across the country and opened its first and only international outpost in the colourful fashion district of Harajuku in Tokyo. This store offers fresh-off-the-oven cookies, with creative and decadent flavours such as salted caramel, triple chocolate, banoffee, lemon white chocolate and more.
Cookie Time is dedicated to serving the best âpairingâ for its cookies, offering fresh milk on tap, as well as creating cookie-inspired desserts including milkshakes, cookie dough, ice cream and sâmores. The OTT Freak Shakes are a crowd-pleaser: these indulgently rich milkshakes are topped with whipped cream, candy bars, caramel sauce or melted chocolate, sprinkles and, of course, a cookie or two.
International sushi chef Jiro Onoda is hosting a series of classes focused on making rainbow sushi. Donât worry, you donât need any cooking experience to join. The classes are open to anyone interested to learn how to make sushi using traditional Edo-style techniques.
The vibrant rolls are inspired by colours of the rainbow, and Onoda only uses all-natural ingredients to create the many-hued assortments. Classes are roughly two hours long: youâll be taught customary slicing techniques before preparing seven different maki rolls and six different nigiri. There will also be a tutorial on how to make the quintessential dashimaki tamago (Japanese-style omlette).
At the end of the lesson, you can enjoy eating what youâve made with the rest of the class. The venue is located accross from the main street of Kappabashi, famous for its traditional kitchenware, so you may be inspired to look for some Japanese cooking utensils for your own kitchen after the lesson. Having worked at restaurants in Shanghai and Vancouver as well as Tokyo, Onoda is fluent in English and Mandarin. As the class will primarily be in English, you wonât have a hard time following along if youâre visiting Tokyo from overseas.Â
Click here to make a reservation. You can pay on the day with either cash or credit.Â
Located a few minutes from the station, this hotel boasts eight restaurants offering a variety of dining options including kaiseki (traditional Japanese multicourse dinner), teppanyaki and European cuisines. They offer free wi-fi and a direct limousine bus service from Haneda and Narita airports.
If you're on a budget or a diet but love pizza, then stop here for a quick meal. The lunch sets start from ¥650 and include a (large) pizza slice with organic salad and a drink.
Though it doesn't have its own heartwarming tale like Shibuya's Hachiko, this owl statue inside Ikebukuro Station is still a popular meeting spot. The name, Ikefukuro, is a play on Ikebukuro and fukuro (owl in Japanese).
If you come out of the west exit of Ebisu Station and stay off the main road, youâll discover a network of backstreets offering an array of restaurants serving different cuisines. It can be a difficult choice if youâre not sure what youâre in the mood for. But should a craving for Thai food hit you, youâre in luck. Gapao Shokudo, which also has branches in Shibuya and Omotesando, beckons from the first floor on one street corner with its bright red signage and colourful window lights. Inside, itâs just as festive, with white-washed tabletops, tropical looking plants dotted around, and friendly staff ready to seat you. We visited on a week night and it was busy enough to feel vibey but we didnât have to queue to get a counter spot. If you prefer a table, you might need to reserve.Â
The menu features a wealth of Thai dishes and you can choose the spice level. For those who prefer no chilli at all, weâd recommend the Gana Massaman Curry Chicken with Coconut Milk (Â¥980, pictured above), ordered with a side of rice. The flavouring was actually on the sweet side (delicious!) and although the portion size looks small, it was packed with filling chicken, potato and veggies and we ended up struggling to finish it. For those who love the burn, go for the Gang Ped Gung Red Curry Prawn with Coconut (Â¥1.080). This is probably not the best Thai food you'll have in Tokyo, but the prices are reasonable, the atmosphere is fun and casual, and it'll still hit the spot.
A few times a year, the breathtaking Kiyozumi-dera Temple that overlooks Kyoto city hosts special nighttime visits, where the templeâs structures and surrounding foliage are illuminated for a mesmerising display. The Buddhist temple, which is over 1,200 years old, is part of the Unesco World Heritage Site known collectively as the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto.
The temple's seasonal light-up events occur every spring, summer and autumn. The annual autumn illumination in 2025 is scheduled to run for just 16 days from November 22 to December 7. While Kiyomizu-dera usually opens from 6am and closes at 6pm, it will extend its hours until 9.30pm (last entry 9pm) for the duration of the event, so visitors will have more time to appreciate the beauty of the temple and its scenery after dark.Â
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In addition to the illumination across the temple grounds and Jojuin garden, Kiyozumi-dera will also shine a bright blue beam into the night sky to symbolise the compassion of Kannon, the Goddess of Mercy enshrined at the temple.Â
There is a general admission fee of Â¥500 for adults and Â¥200 for junior high and elementary school students.Â
For more autumn leaves illuminations at Kyoto temples and gardens, read our latest feature here. And if youâre looking for unique autumn experiences in Kyoto, check out this momiji tunnel train and this gorgeous autumn
Tokyoâs summer festival season is in full swing, and this upcoming long weekend perfectly encapsulates the cityâs vibrant energy. What makes the Marine Day weekend especially exciting is the variety of traditional events on offer, including a number of Bon Odori festivities happening across the city.
Bon Odori is a lively summer dance held during the Obon period to honour ancestors â a tradition thatâs been around for over 500 years. People gather around a yagura stage, dancing in circles to the rhythm of the music. Itâs a festive, feel-good way to spend a summer night â and the perfect chance to show off your best dance moves. Here are three Bon Odori festivals you can join this weekend.
Photo: Shota Nagao
Sendagaya Bon Odori Festival, July 18-19
To kick things off, stop by the Sendagaya Bon Odori Festival taking place at Hato no Mori Hachiman Shrine. You can expect food stalls set up by local businesses, as well as games and activities for children. Plus, of course, the requisite communal dancing.Â
Not familiar with the moves? No worries. Drop by around 4pm to learn the choreography, and you can join in one of the Bon Odori dances happening at 5.30pm, 7pm and 7.50pm (5.30pm, 6.45pm and 8pm on Saturday).
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Daibon, July 19
Get ready to get your groove on at Daibon, a modern rendition of the traditional Bon Odori festival held at Hachiman Shrine in Nakano wardâs Yamatocho. Here, the customary Bon Odori festivities are fused with a line-up of DJs and contempor